This application provides improvements of the devices described and claimed in my earlier applications: Ser. No. 382, filed Jan. 4, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,281 issued Nov. 29, 1994; Ser. No. 719636, filed Sep. 25, 1996, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,722,640 issued Mar. 3, 1998; and Ser. No. 974177 filed Nov. 19, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,133 issued Nov. 21, 2000. The disclosure of said patents is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention to an improved winch that incorporates a sheave, wherein a rope is pulled under tension by either manual or power-driven rotational forces applied to the sheave. This invention relates to pulleys for tightening and tensioning ropes or cords having a ratchet mechanism to permit retaining the same under tension, and more particularly, to such a mechanism which employs the improved sheave to secure a cord or rope which is reeved thereon. The improved winch has particular applicability to boat trailer winches where a cable or rope used to secure a watercraft for transportation and to launch the craft for use in water.